{
 "id": "https://redfinchadvisory.com/lexicon/coding-agent",
 "slug": "coding-agent",
 "prefLabel": "Coding agent",
 "altLabel": [
  "AI coding agent",
  "AI software engineer"
 ],
 "hiddenLabel": [],
 "definition": "An agent whose main job is writing and changing software.",
 "scopeNote": "It can usually read and edit code, run commands and run tests. Autocomplete in an editor is AI-assisted coding, not a coding agent. The key question is what it can reach: the code repository, a command line, production systems or data.",
 "tier": "core",
 "group": "Agents",
 "broader": [
  "https://redfinchadvisory.com/lexicon/agent"
 ],
 "narrower": [],
 "related": [
  {
   "id": "https://redfinchadvisory.com/lexicon/full-stack-builder",
   "type": "related"
  }
 ],
 "links": [
  {
   "id": "https://redfinchadvisory.com/lexicon/sandbox",
   "label": "contains",
   "direction": "in"
  },
  {
   "id": "https://redfinchadvisory.com/lexicon/software-factory",
   "label": "runs many",
   "direction": "in"
  },
  {
   "id": "https://redfinchadvisory.com/lexicon/agentic-coding",
   "label": "is done by a",
   "direction": "in"
  }
 ],
 "modified": "2026-10-21",
 "markdown": "https://redfinchadvisory.com/lexicon/coding-agent.md",
 "inScheme": {
  "id": "https://redfinchadvisory.com/lexicon",
  "version": "1.0",
  "currentAsOf": "2026-10-21"
 }
}